Dr. Purchase-Helzner specializes in the epidemiologic study of the aging brain. Her primary research focus is age-related hearing loss (presbycusis). She has explored many potential contributors to hearing loss in older age, including diabetes, bone density, vascular health, and demographic, genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. She has also studied the influence of presbycusis on cognition and cognitive decline, mortality, psychological health, and physical function.
In addition to her work in hearing loss, Dr. Purchase-Helzner has conducted epidemiologic studies on the natural history of Alzheimer’s disease, including examinations of post-diagnosis survival and correlates of cognitive decline among patients with AD. She is involved in collaborative work with the departments of Neurology, Oncology, Geriatric Psychiatry, and Occupational Therapy at SUNY Downstate, in projects focused on pre-hospital stroke diagnosis, the epidemiology of multiple myeloma, the influence of hearing loss on mental state in elders, and community-based programming for people living with Parkinson’s Disease.
